I completely respect him for this. Borderline Personality Disorder is an under-researched disorder that has made my life hell, and it could use any attempt to publicize it in a non-stigmatizing manner. Despite what many people think (including some professionals, mainly the ****** ones who don't stay up to date on the latest research), bpd has both biological an environmental origins. Key among those is an undersized amygdala, while childhood abuse is very common with patients who develop bpd. Don't follow football much, but Brandon Marshall is a player I will always respect, for his willingness to openly talk about his struggles.

To actually be diagnosed, you have to have at least 5 of the following:

"1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5).
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. This is called "splitting."
3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5).
5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior.
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
7. Chronic feelings of emptiness.
8. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms"
(Source: DSM IV-TR)
The above graphic just puts those symptoms in a format that is easier for the layman to understand.

Don't. www.funnyjunk.com/McFeels/funny-pictures/4818116/85#85
As I said in the above link, it is an addictive behavior that can easily spiral out of control.
And i you think you may have bpd, you should probably talk to someone with a bit more qualifications than a "certified nursing assistant."

How would you be "that guy" by going to someone irl and asking for help? Plus it wouldnt be claiming to have a mental illness, it would be asking someone who is trained to diagnose and treat them if you have one.

Maybe next regular doctors appointment, when your mother isn't there, tell him you've been having problems and ask if he could refer you to someone for mental health problems. Then at the very least he could do most of the explaining to your mother. Either that or write her a letter.

It is a disorder that is primarily rooted in unstable sense of self and extreme emotional lability. Most of the other symptoms stem from this. The chronic feelings of emptiness usually stem from the unstable sense of self, and most of the impulse related symptoms, such as excessive spending, self-mutilation and suicidal behaviors, are attempts at coping with this and the emotional instability. Often patients with bpd have unstable relationships, because they both desperately need attention and also need to have there own identity, and the inability to reconcile these two needs causes mental distress. They also often engage in splitting (black in white thinking), in which they have two mental images of a person; the "Good" one, who is always nice and caring to them, and the "bad" one who yells at them and criticizes them (often for using the coping mechanisms mentioned earlier). It also is worth mentioning the cognitive symptoms; under stress many patients with bpd experience paranoia, depersonalization/derealization, other dissociative symptoms, and sometimes even hallucinations. The dissociative symptoms most likely stem from childhood abuse or emotional invalidation, and can be very upsetting, often leading to self-mutilation to counter them. The paranoia in bpd is not like the stereotypical paranoia, but is more of a feeling that everyone is judging them and plotting behind their back; it's less delusional or psychotic, but it can still do lasting harm to relationships. With all these problems, it's not surprising that 80% of people with bpd attempt suicide, and that 10% end up succeeding. As you can see it's a rather complex disorder,

If you think you might have it don't self-diagnose, talk to a professional (as in someone with an md, phd, psychd, or aprn, technically i'm a healthcare professional, but "cna" doesnt mean jack **** ).

Usually you talk to a psychologist, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse-practitioner. They'll ask you a series of questions about your emotions and behavior, and may get a blood test done to rule out any other possible causes. If you meet the criteria, then you may get diagnosed. However, many clinicians suck at diagnosing and dealing with BPD, partially because of the unfair stigma that bpd patients are purposely manipulative. Some practitioners may diagnose it solely based off of the self-mutilation criterion mentioned in the dsm, while other times it is often mistaken as Bipolar II because of the affective instability.
Once you are diagnosed (if you have it), they will start you on therapy, which is the most reliable method of treating it. Common therapies include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (a variant of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy developed specifically for chronically suicidal individuals (read as: bpd) by Dr. Marsha Linehan, who also suffered from BPD), or mentalization based therapy, a psychodynamic psychotherapy that has been shown to be effective for bpd. Medications may also be used, either to treat a co-morbid disorder such as depression, anorexia, bulimia, ocd or bipolar, or to lessen the bpd symptoms to allow the therapy to be more effective.